American`s Democracy Essays - , Term Papers

American`s Democracy Americas role for the next century will be to stay economically stable. That will be no problem unless something disastrous will happen like another Stock Market crash or Nuclear Holocaust. America in the future also needs to increase peace to every nation in the world. America needs to get rid of all poverty and increase education. To stay economically stable, America needs to keep trade relations and keep wars out of our future. We need to keep the national dept. low and keep all Americans income as high as possible. Another way to be economically stable is to keep American businesses on top of the national competition, mainly in electronics' considering it is the electronic age now as well as the future. If we can keep the businesses on top of every international competition then we will keep our economy going. If the Stock Market crashes then we will have to tighten the buckle and get back on track. If there is a Nuclear War then we will have to recover and go on with the way things were. The next century for America holds many nbew opportunitys for peace. America has always played a role as peace makers and always looking for what is right. To increase our space explorations we need to make a joint effor with other countries to make a super space station and hig tech explorations. If we do not increase our peace offerings to placees like Russia and Japan then we will nerver e as high tech as we could be. America has always been known for its low poverty levels, but we still have homeless and uneducated citizens who need help. In the America of the 30th Century we need to help every citizen to make it in the world. Wheather it is to make an education cheaper or more homes for the poor. If we can help every individual then it will help america as a whole. In conclusion, I think America needs to play a more peaceful and loving country that can help every nation in some way and each individual american citizen. If we can acheive this then America will continue on sucessfully.

nature vs nurture essays

nature vs nurture essays The relative contributions of nature and nurture are an apparent part of human development which makes us ask the question, are heredity and environment opposing forces?(Sternberg 100) The question of nature vs. nurture can be examined and can be attempted to be comprehended in many ways. Our stand on which theory is the correct one is obviously a matter of opinion and makes us wonder if only one of them is truly correct. Nurture seems to be the explanation that holds the most tangible evidence to support it as existing in our everyday life. In psychological attempts to conduct experiments of genetic influences on personality and behavior in the environment psychologists have come to the conclusion that the best way is by using identical twins. There are strong similarities identical twins show in intelligence, personality, and many other characteristics, regardless of being raised in separate homes. They leave us with the conclusion that maybe there is some truth to the theory of nature. These findings from the studies done on the twins are what I find to be coincidences. I believe from my past experiences with my development as a person compared to my older sisters, we are a perfect example of nurture. The theory that poses enough evidence through studies and in my personal experience seems to be true. My sister and I, though not twins, have a four year difference between us and are completely different people who are were raised in the same environment. We hold true to the theory of nurture for how we were raised effected the kind of people we are today. Nurture argues that who we become depends solely on the environment in which we developed in and also posses the idea that we are not born with any inherited traits that make us who we are today. Nurture is proved simply through the personality differences between my sister and I. I contain an extremely social personality; a people perso ...

I will explain it in the instructions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 3

I will explain it in the instructions - Essay Example Practically, socialism emerged as a consequence of theoretical, logical reasoning triggered by a moral crisis suspended by intellectual anarchy. A distinct feature before the Enlightenment era in Europe, aristocratic rule buoyed by the concentration of wealth [property] in the hands of the chosen few was inevitable, justifiable and God given. As a moderating mechanism, Christianity endorsed holy poverty as the clergy rented the air with the gospel of obligatory charity to the majority poor; a balance that leaned much on agriculture and whose effects could only get worse as the population expanded.2 Indeed as the impact of Industrial Revolution gradually changed the contours of European civilization, the old aristocracy was slowly rendered irrelevant as the bourgeoisie [the propertied] took effective economic and political control, drafting much of the peasant class into a chequered, industrial labor recruitments. The new modes of production granted the propertied a natural limitless accumulation of wealth, widening the inequality gap even further. The working class in the newly industrializing Europe suffered more than doubled with a stepped-up exploitation reaching the extremes; the old feudal system that guaranteed places of residence and limited income for peasants became no more; workers could be hired and fired at will; wage rates became driven by the market forces and could plummet as low as competition allowed; and factories operating 24/7 ran under the worst inhuman conditions ever witnessed in history. Adding to the misery of the proletariat, women and children became the preferred factories workers because of the cheaper pay.3 The result was a general decline in the standards of living and a subsequent attitudinal shift towards capitalism. Powered by the eighteenth century maxims of the French pioneers of thought, socialism was a change, inspiration movement dedicated

Depression and Suicide in Older Adults Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Depression and Suicide in Older Adults - Essay Example Recognizng depression can be tricky because depressive symptoms manifest themselves differently in older people than they do in younger people. Health care workers need to be alert to the signs and symptoms of depression because untreated depression represents the greatest risk factor for suicide among older adults. Many people may believe that depression in older adults is simply a normal event that most people go through at one time or another; and that there is no real reason to be alarmed. It might be thought that these individuals should accept sad feelings and disinterest in life as a typical part of growing older. Nevertheless, depression is a very real disorder, and not just one that comes with age. Depressed individuals often cannot just 'snap out of' the problems they are facing. All too often, older adults end up taking their own lives when their depression becomes too painful for them and remains untreated (Brent, et al, 1997). Older adults have the highest rate of suicide in the United States, with over half of all suicides occurring in adult men, aged 25-65. Moreover, suicide rates steadily increase with age (Heisel, 2004). The rate of suicide among people 65 years and older is 50% higher than the national average. A senior citizen in the United States commits suicide every 90 minutes. Clearly, this is a problem that must not be ignored, particularly among older adults who are disproportionately impacted. Although older adults currently make up only 13% of the population, they suffer 19% of all suicide deaths. Persons who are 65 years and older have the highest suicide rates of any age group, and 84% of those who commit suicide are men. Population experts estimate that by 2030, older adults will comprise about 20% of the population, or about 75 million people. Thus, the problem of suicide, if left unaddressed, can be expected to increase. Heisel (2004) states, "There is a pressing need to identify vulnerability and protective factors associated with late-life suicidal ideation and behavior in order to inform assessment and treatment considerations with seniors at risk of suicide" (p. 50). Anyone working with elderly peopleolder adults must be aware of the scope of the problem and the potential ways to help. It is important, therefore, to evaluate ways to reduce the risks posed by depression in older adults, particularly the risk of suicide. With that goal in mind, this paper will examine the prevalence of depression among older adults, diagnosis, treatment, and risk factors for suicide. It will briefly examine depression's long history. Also, the literature dealing with various approaches to treatment of depression will be reviewed. Ultimately, this paper will thoroughly explore the question of why older adults choose to take their own lives. Diagnosis of Disorder Virtually everyone is sad from time to time, and this is generally not a cause for alarm. In many cases, a temporary negative change in mood is brought on by some specific loss, and corrects itself within a reasonable period of time. Losses late in life tend to become more common. For example, as people get older, they will likely know more

Research Paper for Othello Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

For Othello - Research Paper Example Jealousy, that is roused by suspicion and wounded pride, which could be reactions to prejudice, makes Othello the most celebrated text that explores the powers of these debilitating factors even over someone who is considered a hero (Collie 88-9). Shakespeare’s Othello is one of the earliest texts that depict racism against blacks (Iyasere, Iyasere, and Little 326). Normally, especially during Shakespearian days, the whites are the natural protagonists while the blacks are usually portrayed as antagonists. This depiction of a hero is unusual because Othello is shown as troubled with bitterness, delusions, and self-importance (Vaughn 180). He is a dignified, brilliant, heroic, and important figure in the Venetian army, yet despite this prominent status, his own insecurities make him prey to the selfish motives of Iago, the play’s villain (Jacobsen 502). The tragic part here is that no matter how great his status is, and no matter how admired he is by the people of Venice , the war strategies that make him win several battles do not win for him his battle at home, which ultimately resulted in the tragic end of Othello and his beloved Desdemona. Iago sees Othello’s jealousy for his wife Desdemona and decides to use it to his own advantage. He is able to manipulate Othello easily, even when Iago never once presented strong evidence about Desdemona’s infidelity. In fairness to Othello, the ideas that Iago convinces him of are very likely to happen, therefore, easy to believe (Jacobsen 503-4). However, if he knows his wife Desdemona well, it is also easy to see that these accusations are not only improbable, but ridiculous as well. In a scene in the play, Iago exclaims â€Å"Ha! I like not that.† (3.3.33) and â€Å"Cassio, my lord? No, sure, I cannot think it, That he would steal away so guilty-like, Seeing you coming.† (3.3.37-9). Here, it is obvious that Iago, lacking any solid proof, tries to plant ideas in Othello’s mind through manipulation. Iago acts like he is unwilling to confess the sordid details of the scene between Desdemona and Cassio, yet all the while uses a suggestive tone and drops hints that Desdemona is having an illicit affair with Cassio. This causes Othello to demand for more details, making it appear that he is dragging information out of Iago, while the truth is that Iago leads him into that trap of suspicion. This skillful manipulation ignites jealousy in Othello that is roused by the suspicion that Iago successfully implants in his head. These suspicions that rouse his jealousy cause constant speculations by different critics. Othello’s self-loathing is one popular idea. For example, making their marriage private instead of public could mean that he does not believe he is good enough for Desdemona (Vaughn 180). Othello is also portrayed as filled with contradicting characteristics. He promotes Cassio (1.1.18-21) but shows more trust to Iago; he kills his wife Desde mona (5.2.137-8) despite professing his overwhelming love and passion for her; he also kills himself (5.2.376-7) instead of facing the consequences of his crime despite being noted for his courage and dignity. His insecurity makes him gullible to Iago’s manipulations. It can be said that even without Iago’s exploitations of his insecurities, Othello would still be susceptible to suspicions one way or another (Vaughn 181). Despites his great accomplishments and elevated status in the society,

Adidas PEST and SWOT Analysis

Adidas PEST and SWOT Analysis The Footwear Industry is a mature industry; it consists of giant players like Nike, Reebok, Puma on one hand and millions of small retailers in the unorganised sector on the other. This industry presents a myriad of interesting observations there are highly specialised segments where performance is the driving force like running shoes, basketball shoes, and soccer shoes. But to some, a highly fashionized shoe is the priority. Therefore the industry is in a creative phase where performance and fashion have now been merged to create a new hybrid, called lifestyle segment. The competition in this industry is mostly non-price atleast for the established legendary players like Nike and Adidas. They compete for mind share of the customer and aspects like marketing campaigns, brand ambassadors, product proliferation and branding, spell success. Brand Stickiness is high once a customer has experienced a brand and has been satisfied, indicating that price stickiness is less which is also due to affluent lifestyles, prosperity and rising purchasing power of the customer today. Nike and Adidas are the two mammoths of the industry today. Nike is the world leader with a close follower as Adidas Reebok combined (post Reeboks acquisition by Adidas in 2006). The report attempts to study the internal external environment in which Adidas operates and competes. To give the study a 360 degree perspective, various aspects of the industry like market trends, customer profile, competitive analysis and are covered. I. Corporate Mission Mission Statements are an insight into a companys intent, it tells various stakeholders the basic premise for the existence of an organisation why does it do what it chooses to do, who does it deal with, what does it aspire to become all these are essential elements of a companys mission statement, Rossiter, J. R., Bellman, S. (2005). Marketing communications: Theory and applications. The Mission Statement of Adidas is as follows: Adidas-Salomon strives to be the global leader in the sporting goods industry with sports brands built on a passion for sports and a sporting lifestyle. We are consumer focused. That means we continuously improve the quality, look, feel and image of our products and our organizational structures to match and exceed consumer expectations and to provide them with the highest value. We are innovation and design leaders who seek to help athletes of all skill levels achieve peak performance with every product we bring to the market. We are a global organization that is socially and environmentally responsible, creative and financially rewarding for our employees and shareholders. We are committed to continuously strengthening our brands and products to improve our competitive position and financial performance. In the medium term, we will extend our leading market position in Europe, expand our share of the US footwear market and be the fastest growing major sporting goods supplier in Asia and Latin America. The resulting top-line growth, together with strict cost control and working capital improvements, will drive over-proportionate earnings growth. (Mission Statement sourced from www.adidas.com) Adidas is a German company by origin and it had acquired Salomon SA in 1998 as a part of its expansion strategy. It purchased Reebok in the year 2006 to re-strengthen its position and focus on its core businesses of athletic footwear and apparel. The company has been known for its continual zest for innovation, a trait mastered by its founder Adolph Dassler. A detailed analysis of the mission statement reveals the following Post Salomon acquisition, Adidas was clear that it wanted to expand establish itself in a gamut of sports and focus beyond athletic shoes and aptly be known as a sporting goods company. It always had lifestyle in mind while thinking of performance. Customer centricity was always high and a continuous improvement to provide more than the customers expected was essential to Adidas. The management realises that athletic performance is the ethos of the company and innovation is required to deliver high performance. Their mission statement also talks about the scale and the scope by mentioning that it is a truly global conglomerate. It realises its responsibility towards employees, shareholders and the society equally. It mentions that Europe, US, Asia and Latin America will be the focus; the company will strive to maintain its cost, increase its top line and deliver the best to all stakeholders. Deliberating on the mission statement, it appears to be a well focused and an all encompassing one. After the acquisition of Reebok in 2006, Adidas has reinforced its core strategy which had got diluted post Salomon take over as the product line got too diversified to gel with each other or to enable smooth management of the business overall. If one were to write a revamped Mission statement for Adidas considering the current competencies, its focus and the industrial environment in mind, the following can be a suggestive and an all compassing attempt Adidas Mission Statement We will exploit technology judiciously in our entire product lines of footwear and apparel, both in performance and fitness segment, to extend benefits to all our stakeholders globally either in the form of more comfort, better technique in sports, advancement in the materials used, competitive prices, more eco-friendly use of raw materials and maximum growth to enable them to get the best value proposition from us. II. Core Competencies The Core competencies form the basis of edge over the competition. It signals what one company does superbly better than the other, by virtue of which it can reap excellent benefits. Adidas has the following core competencies Living the three core values The vision got established in 1920 when Adolph Dassler started designing the first shoe ever. And ever since then to now, three things have not changed and that is the three genuine intentions of the company manufacture each shoe as a masterpiece for the requirement of the sport, avoid the sportsman from injury and make the product long lasting and value for money. Adidas has sworn by these three values and even over decades, these core values have never been disintegrated. Even when athletes talk of performance, they vouch for Adidas. Continuous innovation and mastering the art of perfection, Adidas believes in outdoing itself each time and this is clearly visible in the vast product range it offers. Be it athletics, tennis or soccer, Adidas is a name integral to success of sportsmen alike. Strategic Expansions organic integrations Management at Adidas has made the right decisions at the right time. Whether it be entering into a merger or divesting, such strategic activities have been well thought of and well timed. In 1999, Adidas wanted to expand beyond athletic shoes and apparel and that is when it bought Salomon which had huge established inroads into other sports such as skiing, skating and golf. It also had presence in bicycle production. Thus Adidas became a true sports equipment, shoe and apparel manufacturer but it retained the identity of different brands, a wise decision as it became easy to disintegrate with Salomon around 2005, when it could no longer handle the vast mutually exclusive set of businesses. In 2006, Adidass decision to acquire Reebok was equally strategic; it was a two pronged strategy as firstly Adidas Reebok combined together could compete with Nike, the industry leader in a more vigorous manner. Secondly it gave Adidas a platform to create its presence in the lifestyle segment wh ere it was earlier non-existent. Adidas was always known as a performance brand and Reebok as a lifestyle and a fitness brand; the coming together of the two is a lethal combination as it presents a complete proposition to all kinds of customer segments. The decision for both the brands to maintain their brand identity is again a well informed decision as it avoids cannibalisation. Technology Innovation The core competence of Adidas is its continuous zest to innovate. It lives and maintains its performance image very meticulously. At the same time, it has constantly believed in innovating, this was exemplified to the world, when in 2002, Adidas along with the Japanese designer Yohji Yamamoto launched an exclusive range of sneakers which were sold at a whopping $590. Branding Internet In the year 2000, Adidas launched its website with e-commerce applications functional. Adidas knows that the footwear and apparel industry is very mature; in order to stay abreast against fierce competition it is vital to invest in web marketing and branding. The site ensures ease of use, speed and easy navigation. It has both brick and mortar own brand outlets and a vast network of retailers, distributors and online stores. The self branded stores enable a direct contact with customers and reading their pulse, building face-to-face relationships with them and personifying the brand with the POP merchandise at thee outlets. Internet has enabled Adidas to reduce its cost and increase its reach drastically. E-commerce has provided Adidas far fetching benefits over the competition, the customer data retrieved through the net can be researched upon to understand the customer profiles and their buying behaviour. This enables the management to design highly customer centric communication, discounts and offerings. Though Nike has been a close player reaping all these advantages, other major companies like Converse, Puma, K-Swiss are no way near. III. PESTL Analysis PESTL analysis is an excellent technique to gauge the external environment in which a company operates. These factors are mostly if not always, uncontrollable and an organisation has to find its position within this cloud. Political Adidas enjoys presence in the entire Europe market, post its acquisition of Reebok in 2006 it has created inroads in the US as well. The company has expansion plans in Asia Latin America. At most of these places, the political domain remains stable as they are largely democratic set ups. This implies that the government will not pose undue restrictions or introduce stern impractical decisions to be followed blindly by the organization. Elections every four or five years, (in UK most Asian countries respectively) also do not impact Adidas much as it does not really get impacted by the ruling party. There are other aspects like stable currency, minimum wages, hygienic working conditions in factories, stipulated working hours per week that are more critical factors for Adidas to adhere to. This is one reason as to why most of these big players are shifting their manufacturing base to Asian countries like India and China while retaining the RD and designing at their home countries. Economic Economic conditions have a considerable impact on the sales operations of Adidas. The inflation rate, the purchasing power of customers, consolidation and buy-outs hugely affect the revenues. World economy suffered one of the biggest recessions in the past two years; with the fall of Lehman Brothers and the shaking of the entire financial sector, people lost jobs and unemployment touched a historical high figure. Purchasing power fell drastically as most of the people all over the world, especially in the US and Canada started living on their savings. The economic crisis in Asian countries also mean that labour and manufacturing costs would now rise impacting the net earnings for Adidas. The stability of government and of currency, tax rates, inflation, import and export duties, special economic zones and subsides; all these are critical economic factors that can impact Adidas and other players in the industry. Social This comprises of the culture, beliefs, demographics, psychographics, education levels and spending habits and lifestyle of the target audience. A factor that is too significant for any player to ignore especially when it enters into a new market; this is the most important factor that can break or make a brand. Culture, social groups, race, religion impact how people live in a society and thus marketers have to pick up the cues sensibly as to how to operate in that environment. Adidas has used this knowledge wisely. Its famous slogan Impossible is nothing captures it beautifully as it gels with the youth today globally. The youth today is characteristic of breaking the rules, exploiting their potential and wanting to unfold the undiscovered. It is this spirit which associates the brand with this audience perfectly. The education level and the pace at which the society moves are reflected in advertising today. Reeboks advertising of its range Easy Tone is another example to demonstrate this aspect. Today women are highly conscious of their figure; Reeboks advertising where it claims that Reebok shoes and slip-ons will enable the users to have a well toned figure could not have found acceptance a decade back. With the arrival of internet, the way people shop is also changing. Now Adidas and other major companies have started selling through online stores and promote the same by giving heavy discounts. Technological Continuous innovation and the use of technology is a great imperative in the industry. The breakthrough use of technology signifies some definite improvement more comfort, superior running performance, more support and cushion, better hold on the ground, reduction in manufacturing costs or in customer price! The original perforated technology of Geox which claims that it enables its shoes to breathe and overcomes the problem of sweaty feet is a remarkable achievement for the brand; it not only creates a niche for itself but enables the company to sell its range at a high premium. Nikes 360 air max, Adidas 1 and Crocs colourful shoes for outdoors, are all examples of constant innovation in the industry. Legal Regulatory Legal Regulatory impact the advertising branding significantly. Let us take an example of Nike when it was planning to enter the Spanish market Nike could have faced the biggest challenge of establishing its mark in Spain because of a trademark issue. This was a decade long litigation case where the Supreme Court found out that the Nike name was a registered trademark of a former distributor called Cidesport. Nike could only use its swoosh but not its name on any of the products. This could have been a great set back and would have demeaned the brand equity. However Nike got lucky when in 2009 Supreme Court reversed its ruling post Nikes appeals. Adidas need to make sure all their promotions give a true representation of the products being advertised, as to not break the laws of the Trade Descriptions Act. It needs to make sure all of their retailers have sufficient knowledge of Adidas products in order to obey the Trade Descriptions Act, as if Adidas give the retailers sufficient information and they give customers incorrect information about the product, then it is the retailer breaking the Trade Descriptions Act rather than the manufacturer, (www.adidas-salomon.com/en/news/archive/2000/2000-07.asp, August 2010) IV. Market Analysis Let us analyse the athletic footwear market through Porters Five Forces model to gain a holistic view of the market Barriers to Entry High to Moderate Brand Loyalty is extremely high; economies of scale and scope also restrict entry for small players as the industry is dominated by few giant players who reap huge benefits from the volumes and the supply chain integration. Economies of scale include advertising marketing costs, RD spent in addition to voluminous production and economies of scope would include benefits like umbrella branding, available to large conglomerates like Nike Puma. However, a new entrant will not find it difficult to find suppliers or raw materials largely of the fact that is a billion dollar industry which is still largely unorganized. Bargaining Power of Buyers Moderate to High Switching cost is low for the buyers as options are endless except in the case where brand loyalty is extremely high. Buyers have easy access to the products through online shopping as well. Though the big players dominate the industrys rate but they cannot decide these prices ignoring customers. Billions are spent by these players on market research and studying consumer profiling and buying patterns which shows that buyers have high bargaining power in the market. Bargaining Power of Suppliers Extremely Low The raw materials used in this industry are rubber, cotton and foam. The giants like Nike Adidas lay out stringiest norms which a supplier has to comply with in order to mean quality. Switching between suppliers is also very high in the industry. The supplier power is extremely low, most often than not, these suppliers work at norms and prices governed by the big players of the industry. Threats of Substitutes Low The substitution is quite low as it is not possible for sneakers to be replaced by fashion or high- heeled shoes. Similarly between tennis shoes and running shoes, there cannot be a replacement. Rivalry among Existing Competitors High The rivalry amongst firms is extremely high and mostly being non-price. Each firm lives and dies by the brand identity it creates. There is fierce competition between Nike Adidas. Specialty shoes like Geox, Rockport and Ecko also compete in niche segments. V. Customer Analysis Adidas has a brand identity of being performance oriented, technically superior and with strong European roots. Therefore to study the customer type, Adidas looks at three broad types of customers Governed by Superior Performance: This is typically a customer who looks for premium performance. Be it an athlete, a tennis player, a soccer lover or a college going student who values technological advancement would choose Adidas over other brands. Fitness Health: This segment is best captured by Reebok as it promotes fitness and aerobic shoes. These days the campaign is running globally by Reebok for its Easy Tone shoes where the slogan is take the gym with you. Be it running shoes, aerobic shoes or shoes for casual wear, Reebok has captured huge market share. This range is particularly selling like hot cakes both in US and Asia amongst women as they are constantly worried about toning their thighs and hips. Adidas has wisely let Reebok focus in this segment so that there is no cannibalisation in sales. Lifestyle Shoes Apparel: Reebok and Adidas have had significant increase in the market share, competing very closely with Nike in the apparel industry. Easy Slippers, T-Shirts, jackets and jumpers enjoy brand loyalty by customers. Adidas does big promotions in this segment. The recent FIFA World Cup championship saw players wearing Adidas T-Shirts with the legendary three stripes logo. Customers of these big brands generally have a very gullible temperament and thats the reason these big players engage in celebrity marketing in a big way. Celebrities are chosen with great caution and deals worth millions of dollars are done with these sports sport stars. The idea is to have a rub off effect on the brand and establish strong associations. For e.g. Nike and the coming together of Michael Jordan promoted the shoes in the basketball segment successfully. Even after when he retires, Nikes Air Jordan segment collected significant revenues for the brand. Adidas had tied up with David Beckham and was one of the official sponsors for World cup in 2006; later years saw the sale of Adidas mount like never before. Even till date Adidas leads the industry in soccer shoe sales. VI. Competitive Analysis The footwear and apparel industry is in a mature phase with fierce competition for market and mind share of the customers. Nike is valued at around 14 billion dollars and is the market leader, followed closely by Adidas Reebok combined at around 12 billion dollars (as per the 2006 statistics captured from their websites). Mostly the firms compete on brand image, web site designs, service, advertising celebrity endorsements and innovation. Nike has had a slight edge over its competitors from the time it launched its products as it has considerably invested in RD and high tech designs. But Adidas has narrowed this gap drastically in recent years. Brand image focus is very high in the industry. Example of this can be seen in the case of Nike. Nike chooses to sell its regular range through high end retailers only, it had refused to sell through Sears post the Sears Kmart tie up as it feared brand dilution, it instead started retailing its low priced Starter range through this channel. Technology focus and specialisation is high. Nike focuses on performance plus style, Adidas as seen as a high end performance shoe and it leads the market in the soccer industry. Reebok is deemed as a fitness and health conscious brand. New Balance talks only performance and is seen as a no-nonsense brand. Crocs has positioned itself as an outdoor wear brand is predominantly used for boating. Puma is seen as a stylised brand both for footwear and apparels, it has never really spoken of high end sports performance and this focus has helped the brand create its space in the lifestyle segment. Hence it is imperative that each player positions itself well and delights the customer in that segment rather than being all over the place. Below is a diagram of the total market share of competing firms (post Reebok Adidas integration)- (Chart sourced from www.hoover.com) To conclude, one analyses that it would be prudent for close rivals to think of innovative ideas to increase the overall market for performance and lifestyle shoes than just competing on the market share with each other. VII. SWOT Analysis SWOT analysis refers to the technique of mapping the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats for an organisation. (P. Kotler, S. Adam, L. Brown and G. Armstrong 2001) While the first two are internal to a firm, the last two are more from an industry orientation overall. Strengths Adidas has an image of high performance and a favoured brand for buyers who seek technology over style The acquisition of Reebok complements the brand as it allows a larger portfolio of high end performance based shoes (Adidas) and fitness lifestyle range (Reebok) Known for its constant innovation, Adidas and Reebok Easy Tone being the case in point Association with sports championships enable the brand to be positioned as the leader for Soccer segment The intellectual quotient of management is seen as very high, as Adidas has been known to take the right decisions at the time (evident from all the mergers acquisitions which the brand has done) Association with celebrities like David Beckham adds to the Brand value and high TOMA (Top of Mind Awareness) User friendly and high brand appearance web site enabling high online presence Vast product portfolio to choose from Shoes for running, tennis, soccer, skiing, golf and related line of apparel, jumpers, watches etc. Weaknesses Adidas has a vast product portfolio but still has a high dependence on soccer shoes as compared to Nike which has several high revenue bearing products Has become synonymous with market-follower tag and Nike being the market leader, to most customers it becomes a second choice only The Adidas/Reebok acquisition results in cannibalisation of each others sales rather than targeting competitors. This is because there is a lack of well defined differentiation between both the brands Not seen as innovative as Nike and is alleged to copy Nike in its advertising, promotions and celebrity endorsements Opportunity Highly brand conscious youth wanting to own a pair of branded shoes only Increasing love for Soccer where Adidas is perceived as the official brand leader High value placed on fitness sports for a healthy lifestyle, resulting in an increase in the overall industry Advanced technology available Use of internet, online marketing and e-commerce widening geographical markets and connecting the globe virtually Threats World Economy recession which has impacted the purchasing power of consumers drastically Competition from online stores who have presence only through e-commerce and sell shoes at heavy discounts because of their low cost manufacturing strategy Changing consumer preferences and lifestyles Reducing popularity of sports because of frantic working lives Increasing power of suppliers to set terms, e.g. Wal-Mart New competitors entering the market Price war between competitors Cheap replicas available in the market Conclusion Adidas has come a long way over the decades and is now positioned second largest most popular player in the athletic footwear industry. Each company in the industry today is trying to reduce its manufacturing costs by shifting the production to Asian markets. Adidas Reebok have strengthened their combined market, post the integration. This is a well suited strategy to compete with Nike and grow by expanding into the emerging markets US Asia. It would be wise if Adidas focuses on its core competencies and engage into aggressive marketing branding. Critical areas for success are summarised as follows Three critical focus areas which Adidas should be focusing on currently are 1. Strong Highly differentiated Brand Positioning for Adidas Reebok Brands: A serious attempt must be made to create a positioning for both the brands. What does Adidas stand for as compared to Reebok? The Company must strategise Adidas as a sports performance brand and create a niche for athletic, tennis, golf, soccer, both in sports apparel. It should position Reebok as a fitness brand and let it handle aerobics, running, walking and casual shoes and apparel. 2. Focus on increasing the total market by innovative marketing: Adidas should creatively focus on increasing its total customer base, it should look at promoting soccer in clubs and schools and offer scholarships and start interacting with the children at an early age so that they become loyal customers for life. Reebok should tie up with gyms could offer discounts on Reebok shoes and apparel. It can tie up with specialty clinics fighting obesity and over-weight, sponsor health check up camps and give aids for other related causes. This will help the brand in two ways one is that it would help create an image of a socially responsible company and secondly reinforce the strategy to capture the ever increasing health conscious customers of today. 3. High end use of technology: Undoubtedly RD technology will remain the catalyst of this industry. Adidas will only be able to survive if it continuously focuses on improving the quality performance of its shoes. So when Nike says Just do it, Adidas should scream aloud the spirit Impossible is nothing.

Fuzzy Pathetic Loving Ass :: essays research papers fc

Fuzzy Pathetic Loving â€Å"Ass†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A Midsummer Night’s Dream, by William Shakespeare, is a classic play that has been retold in many ways. The most recent version of this romantic comedy was done by Michael Hoffman in 1999. This portrayal follows very closely to the original play. Very few lines are taken out, and the characters stay very true to the assumed original idea. The one main difference in the original play and this movie is the depiction of the character Nick Bottom the weaver. The original play shows Bottom as the â€Å"†¦overconfident weaver†¦hilariously overt†¦has extraordinary belief in his own ability†¦totally unaware of his ridiculousness†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Sparknotes.com). These types of characteristics would normally make readers see Bottom as a cocky, egotistical, center of attention, â€Å"ass†. In the play, this is the case. However, in the 1999 movie version, with Kevin Kline as Bottom, the audience gets a different idea of Bottom without changi ng his basic character traits. Hoffman achieved changing the overall perception of the character of Bottom from to a â€Å"†¦warm fuzzy man, a dreamer for whom we can root†, and pathetic lover, while still keeping the â€Å"ass† quality, by only changing a few small, very subtle things (Jones, 127).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In what would be Act I Scene II of the original play, Bottom is shown sitting alone at a cafà ©. As he is making his way to leave, a rough looking woman walking around in a very hurried and determined manner become the focus of the screen. The audience soon realizes this is Bottoms wife. Bottom seems to become frightened of her on sight, so he hides behind a wall. You also learn that his wife thinks his dreams of being an actor are simply unrealistic and stupid. The original Shakespearian play does not include a wife for Nick Bottom. The adding of a wife to a movie is not normally of great importance; however, the type of wife she is makes all the difference. Later in the scene, when Bottom goes home, the audience sees more of what type of a wife this is. As Bottom enters his house he is shown looking around to see where she might be; he is very quite and slips into a room quickly. Almost instantly, his wife realizes he is home, and she rushes into the room with a very ugly, stern expression on her face. There is no speaking in this scene (Hoffman).